Does Sharing Your Values and Beliefs Feel Scary? Read this.
I follow someone on social media who is slightly younger than me but on a similar life journey as me. Sometimes she posts stuff, usually quotes or passages from a book, and my first response is to cringe (even when I’ve read most of the same books and love the quotes she shares.)
How could she make herself look so….vulnerable? Why doesn’t she just keep it to herself?
When this happened recently though I stopped myself. Since everyone you don’t like is supposedly mirroring something you don’t like about yourself, I decided to investigate deeper. Upon doing so I realized that I was jealous that she dared to share her values and beliefs with her followers. Once I realized what I had been doing, I asked the universe to give me the courage to start sharing my values more openly.
A week prior, I had received inspiration to create a survey and ask my social media followers to answer a survey about a topic I am very passionate about, exciting the matrix/status quo, but I hadn’t done anything with it yet. This was my time to tell the universe I was ready.
Once created, I easily shared the survey on LinkedIn (I don’t know why but I am so detached from that platform. I don’t care at all who reads my posts there and therefore it is super easy to share whatever.) I waited a few minutes and then decided to post on Facebook. Also fairly easy.
I then closed my MacBook and went for a hike, I didn’t want to see who did or didn’t respond. I wanted to enjoy the French Pyrenees while I had them outside of my door. A little while later my BFF texted me and said, “Share your survey on Instagram, tag me and I’ll share it.” I immediately wrote back, but I’m shyyyyyyy. ok, I’ll do it!
I didn’t linger in worry too long though because folks started submitting their answers to my survey and I felt an instant rejuvenation to keep sharing my beliefs more openly. I am so grateful to have BFFs who regularly light a fire under me and encourage me to step consistently out of my comfort zone.
I learned a very valuable lesson through this experience, one that I am about to share now…
As soon as you start living your values (not just talking about them), you are telling the universe that you are ready for the abundance you are about to receive.
Case in point - I recently had a call with a project in Portugal, an eco-village outside of Faro that’s been on my radar for a while. The call was to discuss a potential work/trade. In exchange for helping them with their marketing outreach for a few months, I would receive a deed to a parcel of land….in freaking Portugal…in a freaking Eco Village.
It’s not a done deal yet, but I am convinced it will go through, and also that I’m worth receiving it.
I am not telling you this as an adult version of one-upping you. Nor am I typing this whilst sticking my tongue out and mumbling “nanny, nanny, nanny.” I am merely suggesting that when you take a bold leap and start LIVING your values (not just talking about them), when you start taking actual tangible steps towards realizing your dreams, and when you take risks, BIG risks, the universe delivers an opportunity seemingly overnight that will prove just how magical and creative of a being you truly are. You see I am a BIG fan of work/trade and it’s one of the principles I want to discuss in the book because it’s the easiest way I know to start building a freelance portfolio when you don’t have a lot of experience and also the most fun way to say F-U to the man. But I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be possible to trade my marketing services for land. Until now.
That’s the Universe’s way of one-upping me, I guess. Well played, universe, well played.
Are you afraid of sharing your beliefs? Do you cringe when others do it? Have you ever thought about WHY?
Stop Being So Elusive, Already
As a lot of you know, I am currently in the process of creating my own Desert Animal Oracle Deck.
When I submitted my proposal to the publisher, I included my own digital concept of what I wanted the cards to look like. Needless to say, the publisher had another vision. Instead, they wanted to bring in an outside illustrator to help with the design.
I wasn’t upset, in fact, my original intent was to do the same but the reason I didn’t was because of budget constraints. Instead, I relied on my minimal Canva skills to whip up some sample cards.
Flash forward to now and we have both been on the hunt for an illustrator — someone who preferably has a connection to the Southwest, a love of animals, and a knack for Scientific skill-level detail when sketching said animals.
How do you suppose we have been conducting the search?
Well, first we asked people we already knew. I asked friends who had Tucson connections if they could recommend someone.
Next, I searched around my community. I went to a local bookshop and looked for any animal stickers, notebooks, or notecards on display near the checkout counter, and noted down the names of their illustrators.
Lastly, I looked at Instagram.
Why am I sharing this with you?
Because I want you to stop being so elusive and private about the gifts you are here to share with the world. How else are people going to find you, if you don’t put yourself out there? I used to think social media was vapid and a big waste of time, but what I am learning is that it is what you make of it. When you have a purpose — to share your gifts with the world — it becomes much easier to open up and let others into your creative process.
Sure, I still get shy before I am about to post something on Instagram. Last night I hesitated a few minutes before pushing that button, but then I did. Why? Because I want others to see what I am creating, so that it inspires them to put love and energy into their own creations. I also want to keep people in the loop because I believe that my oracle cards can help inspire others to protect the beautiful creatures of the Southwest as well deepen their connection to their own inner knowing.
“Happiness is only real when shared.”
As Christopher McCandless, the author of Into the Wild wrote, “Happiness is Only Real When Shared” and I just love it so much. For so long I felt like I had to hide who I was. I was afraid that people would think I was a fraud or that I was taking up too much space. I didn’t think my writing or creative endeavors deserved to see the light of day. But in the end, these are all limiting beliefs that keep me from reaching my highest potential. And I am just over it!
So there you have it, don’t be shy. Or try to play cool and mysterious. Share what you are working on and let others be dazzled by all that you are. Sure, there might be haters. But there might also be a whole lot of people who you help in the process!